Emergency network services by an access network computing node

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10122604-B2
Application number	US-201414192999-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2014
Priority date	Feb 28, 2014
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method comprises detecting, by an access network computing node, a network service provided by a service provider for one or more identified endpoint devices via a wide area network connection, the access network computing node within an access network providing connections for the one or more identified endpoint devices to access the network service via the wide area network connection; detecting an unavailability of the network service via the wide area network connection; and supplying, by the access network computing node, at least a substitute of the network service for the one or more identified endpoint devices in response to the detected unavailability of the network service via the wide area network connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising: detecting, by an access network computing node within an access network, a network service provided by a service provider for one or more identified endpoint devices via a wide area network connection between the access network and a wide area network providing reachability to the service provider;
providing, by the access network computing node, a link layer data connection for the one or more identified endpoint devices to access the network service via the access network and the wide area network connection;
detecting, by the access network computing node, an unavailability of the network service to the access network via the wide area network connection, including detecting that the network service that was available to the access network via the wide area network connection is no longer available;
executing, by the access network computing node, at least a substitute of the network service for the one or more identified endpoint devices via the link layer data connection in response to the detected unavailability of the network service to the access network via the wide area network connection;
sending, by the access network computing node, a request to utilize available resources in the one or more identified endpoint devices for at least partial execution of at least the substitute of the network service or a different network service; and
sending at least one of an executable resource, or data associated with at least the substitute of the network service or the different network service, to the corresponding identified endpoint device for distributed execution of at least the substitute of the network service or the different network service by the corresponding identified endpoint device, in response to receiving a grant from the corresponding identified endpoint device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting an unavailability of the network service includes determining the wide area network connection is substantially incapable of providing minimum quality of service requirements necessary for the network service.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the network service is based on at least one of:
the access network computing node detecting the network service based on detecting associated network traffic between the one or more identified endpoint devices and the service provider via the wide area network connection; or
the access network computing node receiving, from the one or more identified endpoint devices, a registration that specifies the corresponding identified endpoint device is configured for accessing the network service.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the network service is based on:
receiving, by the access network computing node from the one or more identified endpoint devices, a registration that specifies the corresponding identified endpoint device is configured for accessing the network service; and
storing by the access network computing device the registration in a memory locally within the access network.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the executing includes: the access network computing node obtaining the executable resource for execution of at least the substitute of the network service for the one or more identified endpoint devices; and
activating the execution of at least the substitute of the network service in response to detecting the unavailability of the network service via the wide area network connection, including sending a notification to the one or more identified endpoint devices of the activating.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the executing includes initiating a communication session with a second access network computing node in the access network for coordinated supply of at least the substitute of the network service between first endpoint devices in communication with the access network computing node and second endpoint devices in communication with the second access network computing node.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the registration includes personal information specifying an attribute of a user of the corresponding identified endpoint device, the executing including initiating at least the substitute of the network service between the user and a second user of a second corresponding identified endpoint device, based on the attribute.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the access network computing node restoring the network service provided by the service provider in response to detecting a resumed availability of the network service via the wide area network following the detected unavailability, including:
halting execution of at least the substitute of the network service in the access network; and
synchronizing network service state with the service provider, based on the supply of at least the substitute of network service during the unavailability of the network service, for restoration of the network service by the service provider.

9. An apparatus comprising:
a network interface circuit configured for detecting a network service provided by a service provider for one or more identified endpoint devices via a wide area network connection between an access network and a wide area network providing reachability to the service provider, the apparatus within the access network, the network interface circuit further configured for providing a link layer data connection for the one or more identified endpoint devices to access the network service via the access network and the wide area network connection; and
a processor circuit configured for detecting an unavailability of the network service to the access network via the wide area network connection, including detecting that the network service that was available to the access network via the wide area network connection is no longer available, the processor circuit further configured for executing at least a substitute of the network service for the one or more identified endpoint devices via the link layer data connection in response to the detected unavailability of the network service to the access network via the wide area network connection;
the processor circuit configured for sending a request to utilize available resources in the one or more identified endpoint devices for at least partial execution of at least the substitute of the network service or a different network service, and sending at least one of an executable resource, or data associated with at least the substitute of the network service or the different network service, to the corresponding identified endpoint device for distributed execution of at least the substitute of the network service or the different network service by the corresponding identified endpoint device, in response to receiving a grant from the corresponding identified endpoint device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor circuit is configured for detecting an unavailability of the network service includes determining the wide area network connection is substantially incapable of providing minimum quality of service requirements necessary for the network service.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the network interface circuit is configured for detecting the network service based on at least one of:
detecting associated network traffic between the one or more identified endpoint devices and the service provider via the wide area network connection; or
receiving, from the one or more identified endpoint devices, a registration that specifies the corresponding identified endpoint device is configured for accessing the network service.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:
the

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Byers Charles Calvin
• Bonomi Flavio
• Zhu Jiang

Classifications

• H04L67/1095

  Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes · CPC title

• H04L67/2861

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L43/0805 Primary

  by checking availability · CPC title

• H04L45/22

  Alternate routing · CPC title

• H04L67/59 Primary

  Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable · CPC title